Yes, cover songs can be monetized on YouTube, but the revenue split is not in your favor. When you upload a cover, you own the new sound recording but not the underlying musical composition. That composition belongs to the original songwriter and publisher.
Note YouTube Partner Program members can share revenue from eligible cover videos once the music publisher claims the video through Content ID. You receive a pro rata share, not the full creator share that applies to original content.
How cover song monetization works
When you upload a cover, YouTube's Content ID system automatically identifies the underlying composition. The rights holder then decides what happens: monetize, track, or block. Most major publishers choose to monetize, which triggers YouTube's revenue-sharing mechanism.
For covers, your ad revenue share gets split between you and the rights holders. In practice, you typically keep a minority of the total because the composition owners take their share.
How Does Cover Song Revenue Compare to Originals?
| Content type | Typical outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Original music | You keep the standard creator share | Baseline for comparison |
| Cover song (claimed) | You share revenue with the publisher | Split varies by rights holders and track |
| Cover using Creator Music | You share revenue with licensors | Terms vary by license and usage |
What you need for monetization eligibility
Cover videos must meet these requirements to share revenue:
Channel requirements: You must be in the YouTube Partner Program with monetization enabled.
Content requirements: The cover must be a new performance, not a re-upload of someone else's recording. You cannot use the original master recording, samples, or backing tracks that contain copyrighted audio.
Publisher participation: The music publisher must have opted into YouTube's cover song monetization program. Not all publishers participate. If the publisher has not claimed the song or chooses to block instead of monetize, you earn nothing (see Monetizing eligible cover videos).
What Are the Mechanical Licensing Considerations?
Technically, uploading a cover video involves composition rights and video sync rights. In practice, YouTube’s Content ID and publisher agreements determine what happens. Do not assume you have monetization rights just because a cover is “allowed” to stay up.
Warning If a song is not in YouTube's covered catalog, uploading a cover without proper licensing could result in the video being blocked or a copyright strike. Less common songs and compositions from smaller publishers carry higher risk.
When you keep zero revenue
Several scenarios route 100% of revenue away from you:
The publisher blocks instead of monetizes. Some rights holders prefer to remove covers entirely rather than share revenue.
You use the original recording. If your "cover" contains the actual master recording (even a short sample), Content ID will claim it as a re-upload, not a cover, and you receive nothing.
The song is not in YouTube's covered catalog. Without a participating publisher, there is no revenue-sharing mechanism, only claims or blocks.
What Should Labels and Artists Consider Strategically?
For labels running promotion campaigns, covers present a math problem. Because the revenue share is split, cover content usually earns less per view than original content you fully control.
If you are building a channel around cover content, volume matters more than it does for originals because you capture less of the upside. For most professional campaigns, original content or properly licensed tracks tend to have better unit economics.